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MLB Power Rankings: Post Winter Meetings

By Joshua Sadlock

ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 11: Giancarlo Stanton is introduced as a member of the New York Yankees during the 2017 Winter Meetings at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort on Monday, December 11, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 11: Giancarlo Stanton is introduced as a member of the New York Yankees during the 2017 Winter Meetings at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort on Monday, December 11, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 9: Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers looks on from first base during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 9, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 9: Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers looks on from first base during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 9, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

29. Detroit Tigers

Like the Marlins, the Detroit Tigers are shedding assets left and right. Starting with the departures of Justin Verlander, Justin Upton, Justin Wilson and Alex Avila at the trade deadline last season and continuing with the trade of second baseman Ian Kinsler to the Los Angeles Angels, the Tigers are gutting the roster and starting over from scratch. Years and years spent investing in free agents alone with no focus on the farm system had left the Tigers with an ugly future. Rebuilding was the only option.

The Tigers spent the first half of the 2017 season attempting to contend one last time with Verlander, Upton, Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Michael Fulmer. They actually started the season 8-4, but came undone quickly thanks to a lack of depth in the starting rotation behind the top two and a terrible bullpen. The Tigers were 39-48 at the All-Star break, and the writing was on the wall heading up to the July 31 deadline.

Detroit finished the year on a 17-41 skid to end in a tie with the San Francisco Giants for worst record in the league. They will pick first in the 2018 draft thanks to Pablo Sandoval hitting a walk-off home run on the final day of the year.

If last September was any indication, the Tigers will be one of the worst teams in the league in 2018. They went 6-24 and were outscored by 90 runs. Ron Gardenhire takes over from Brad Ausmus as manager, but he’s just there to keep the seat warm for a few years while a winner can be built in the minor leagues. The only player really worth keeping an eye on next year with the Tigers will be third baseman Jeimer Candelario. He hit .330/.406/.468 in 27 games after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs. The prospects picked up from the Houston Astros in the Verlander trade are further away from having an impact at the MLB level.

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